Man who threw shoe at Hekmatyar released

HEART CITY (Pajhwok): Abdul Wahid Dadshani, the man who threw a shoe at Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has been released from the National Directorate of Security (NDS)’s detention following a protest rally seeking his release in western Herat province.

Hekmatyar, the Hezb-i-Islami Islami Afghanistan (HIA) chief , was delivering sermon before last Friday’s prayers at the main mosque in Herat City, the provincial capital, when the man threw one of his shoes at him. Gulbuddin pardoned the man who had been arrested by security forces.

After spending five days in detention, Dadshani was released on Tuesday following a protest involving many people in front of the governor’s house here.

The protestors insisted that the detention of Dadshani was against the law. Aziza Khair Andish, a civil society activist who took part in the protest, said no one had the right to arrest a protesting person.

“People and the civil society believe Dadshani’s act was a protest and there is no punishment for such acts in the law so his detention is against the law and he should be released,” she said.

Ghulam Hazrat, another protestor, said: “Gulbuddin has committed many crimes in Afghanistan but only innocent people are imprisoned, we ask the government to release Dadshani as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Abdul Samad Dadshani, brother of Abdul Wahid Dadshani, said Hekmatyar had forgiven his brother and the government should release him.

“My brother told me that he is pardoned, so why the NDS is keeping him in jail,” he said.

The governor’s spokesman, Jilani Farhad, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Dadshani had been released from the NDS jail.

“Intelligence officials after completing their investigations about Dadshani released him today and he has reunited with his family,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz Wasiq, a cousin of Dadshani, also said that he was home now. He said Dadshani was not ill-treated during his detention.